Record Times?

[Beagle]

Sorry if this has been covered, but I'm new around here. I've been delighted to set a couple of record times... is there any way to see whether they still stand? I can't find anyplace that lists them except as the individual quotes come up. Thanks.

[Barnabas]

You must be new around here, indeed. I believe you said your name was Roger Bannister - yes? Allow me to introduce you to Hicham El Guerrouj. He goes by the handle Bansaisequoia. ...and your records are all gone

Welcome back, though!

[Beagle]

Haha... I quite believe you, seeing his times. I just wondered if there's anyplace to look. It seems like it would be nice to see something in one's trophy room, like "You currently hold the record time for... 4 cryptograms." But I don't think there's any way to know, is there?

[gryhnd51]

You might try asking Bansai about his "Wall of Titans". I'm not sure if that would provide you with the information you want, though. The record times are constantly being bettered by other players.

[chopstix]

wow!

The fact that you've only been competing for 2 months and have already set a few record times is quite impressive Beagle! I'm impressed and envious - congratulations!

[Beagle]

Thanks Chopstix, that's nice of you to say. I'm afraid that in my case it's more luck than anything else. I feel slow as molasses most of the time. I'm sure enjoying myself, though, and I'm enjoying the quotes (for the most part).

[Barnabas]

Beagle wrote:

Haha... I quite believe you, seeing his times. I just wondered if there's anyplace to look. It seems like it would be nice to see something in one's trophy room, like "You currently hold the record time for... 4 cryptograms." But I don't think there's any way to know, is there?

I haven't poked around the site enough to consider myself an expert navigator, but as far as I know - no, there isn't. I did look at this month's top 100, and I see you're #7 at the moment, and that you're also batting a 100% solve rate. That's impressive. I've slogged along for a couple of years, and my all-time solve rate is now approaching 84%, and my monthly solve rates have risen to the low 90s. Congratulations on that... and if you have any tips you wish to share, we who struggle are always open to new ways of looking at these puzzles.

[Beagle]

Thanks for the kind words, Barnabas (always appreciate a Dark Shadows reference, by the way).

I doubt I'd have any advice that isn't commonplace. And the only thing my solve rate indicates is that I've spent a ridiculous amount of time refusing to give up on a puzzle.

I always start by looking at context, especially at the beginning of the quote (and sometimes at the end, or after a punctuation mark)... it's often pretty easy to get a quick toe-hold by seeing something like:
"He who.."
or, "If you want to..."
or, "______ is the ____ of _____..."

If that fails, then I move on to scanning individual words, looking for patterns that jump out at me.

If that fails, it's going to be a long slog... looking at frequency of letters, trying various combinations, etc.

The ones that REALLY burn me are the ones where I know I've broken in and have the basic idea, but also know I might have a thing or two wrong here and there, and there remains a word or two that I just can't figure out. Usually that means I do have something wrong somewhere else, but man that's frustrating.

[PenelopeAndromeda]

I love . . .

. . . doing these cryptograms. With every puzzle and its challenges, it feels pretty awesome to just use my brains and eyes to solve them. I will probably never set any records, but that's okay. I'm getting the puzzles and it's my brain that benefits most. If I used other stuff, it wouldn't mean nearly as much. It would kind of . . . cheapen . . . the experience if I wasn't doing it to tally on my own. Thanks for this site!

[einsmallstein]

Re: bansaisequoia

There is now way he is just using his eyes and brains... humanly impossible

[pootie49]

OH allow me....

ahem, i refer you to this page

http://www.cryptograms.org/forum/showthread.php?t=669

i refer you to the word no as opposed to the word now

i refer you to stop being a doubter and realize that even i
had set 1150 records faster than bansai at one time
(merde)

check the link....doubts be gone!!!!

sighhhhhhh
rolls eyes

[montyb]

Reality (finally) sinks in.

This probably won't convince the naysayers or end the myth, but here is my story.

I played as a guest for many months and noticed the prevalence of "bansaisequoia" as the record holder for many puzzles. My first thought was that bansaisequoia was actually a group of people working in collaboration since so many records were "his". Naturally I had also hypothesized about some type of computer program being the actual record holder.

When I started playing as a competitor, I finally worked up the courage to enter the chat box and exchange PMs with some of the other players. The evidence garnered from these exchanges would not support my previous hypotheses. I had to follow the evidence that led to the conclusion that bansaisequoia was indeed a single HUMAN individual of amazing skills. Enviable skills to be certain, but HUMAN skills nonetheless.

I also found him (and many other players, especially Pootie) to be a true friend who shared many of my idiosyncracies and eccentricities. Is he fiendishly fast? Damn straight he is! But so are many other players who have often beaten his records (and have had a brick returned to them).

Anyone who has ever followed one of the many public chats between Bansai and myself cannot help but notice the usually quick (when our schedules coincide) repartee the demonstrates cognizant, and sometimes bizarre, abilities that no computer program has been able to yet imitate. The phrase is "cogito, ergo sum"; not "computare, ergo sum".

Bansai, Pootie, Iltquilt, Carrot, Barnabas, Lily, Lurker, Fredsevant, Shivan, and many, many others, you have my friendship and respect.

Monty

[Barnabas]

Bansai, Pootie, Iltquilt, Carrot, Barnabas, Lily, Lurker, Fredsevant, Shivan, and many, many others, you have my friendship and respect.

Monty

Monty -
That I would be included in this list is both humbling and touching. Know, too, that I consider you a distant friend somewhere out there on the landscape known as the internet. I occasionally put my foot in it a little when I make attempts at humor by commenting on some of the quotes ( I can think of one, especially, in which I wished I had just moved on to the next quote ), and in hindsight have kicked myself once or twice. Considering Lincoln's quote about opening one's mouth and removing all doubt as to one's foolishness, I do appreciate that you would include me in your last post.

einsmallstein wrote:

There is now way he is just using his eyes and brains... humanly impossible

Bansai's daytime job is that of television actor (not a lot of people know that, and I'm almost sure Bansai will deny it). He plays a DVM on NBC's Animal Practice, which airs Wednesday nights. If you've ever seen the show, you'll know then that he always carries a little monkey on his shoulder - named "Rizzo." Rizzo is with him at all times, and it is Rizzo who types in the vowels while Bansai punches in the consonants. Poor Rizzo - only gets a banana whenever they set a record.

[Carrot]

Monty,

"Some of the most rewarding and beautiful moments of a friendship happen in the unforeseen open spaces between planned activities." ~ Christine Leefeldt

Thank you : )

[fredsevent]

This probably won't convince the naysayers or end the myth, but here is my story.

Bansai, Pootie, Iltquilt, Carrot, Barnabas, Lily, Lurker, Fredsevant, Shivan, and many, many others, you have my friendship and respect.

Monty

Thanks, Monty

Golly, I too am humbled to be (erroneously) included in such a list. Perhaps I should visit the chat room more often (and maybe leave my more cantankerous self elsewhere)?

And as for Bansai, well he does do a few things to help his times in addition to being very good. His browser/computer is clearly better than mine for on those rare occasions when I attempt to type as fast as his video demonstrates, I have problems with the letters being properly assigned. Also, he is a premium member and well, he knows how to type (I've keyboarded every day for 30 years and still can't type very well - it's hopeless). I've estimated this gives him a 5-8 second edge on every puzzle which means his time still beats mine over 99% of the time, but if speed is your thing you should do as he does - and play 20-30 thousand puzzles.

And for what it's worth, I just jumped in and started competing here from my first puzzle although it would be fair to say I've worked a few cryptograms prior to joining this site.

fredsevent